“We want to target the ‘everywoman’ – those who are somehow entrapped and confined,” says Maggie Morgan, producer and director of SAT-7’s new live program Today not Tomorrow, which will be broadcast on SAT-7 ARABIC this month.
“Whether confinement is literal, for those living in small villages, in their families’ homes, who have limited freedom of movement, or whether it is psychological, this is a program that tells people who are trapped that others like them have managed to make tangible changes and choices,” said Ms Morgan.
In a region where the number of child marriages has surged, girls are denied access to education, and their rights to make their own choices continue to be eroded, women-led protests in Iran against strict dress codes are continuing. The Tailban also continues drastically rolling back the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan. Yet amidst all of these challenging circumstances, SAT-7 remains committed to providing the space and opportunity, through satellite and online programs, for women to make their own choices, and to paving the way for girl children to have a future grounded in faith and freedom.
SAT-7’s vision for women and girls is to see them realizing their God-given value and dignity, to make their voices heard, and to foster strong, secure, and loving families. To achieve this vision SAT-7 recognizes the importance of raising awareness for young women and girls in the Middle East region, amplifying their voices on programs across all SAT-7 channels, and contributing towards the empowerment of girls and women in the region.
“Throughout history, achieving freedom has always come at a cost,” said Sally Momtazi, presenter of Insiders, our live Persian women’s program, which covered the subject of the mandatory hijab and the resistance of women in Iran as the protests intensified. “Our hope is that the Lord is with each one of us on this journey so that everyone can have the right to choose. This is the most basic of rights that a person can have.”
“It is women who raise the children, and if they are not allowed to thrive socially, spiritually, culturally, and financially, then our region can never flourish,” said SAT-7 CEO, Ms Rita El-Mounayer.
Today marks 10 years since the UN initiated The International Day of the Girl Child to draw the world’s attention to the plight of girl children around the world.
Today not Tomorrow is part of a five-year Gender and Freedom of Religion and Belief (FoRB) project supported by the Norwegian Government (NORAD) through DIGNI/NMS.
Prayer Points
Would you please pause and pray for the following right now?
- That women in the Middle East and North Africa will gain the human rights they deserve
- For the safety of women and girls as they continue to navigate through these traumatic times
- For the freedom of girl children to choose their own futures without persecution
